Welcome to the 1st grade...

[paulney]

So my kid went to the first grade today. Public charter school.

Last school year my wife and I volunteered like mad for the school when our kid was in K grade. We made friends with the K grade teacher, and she was extremely nice to us. She considered our kid one of her best students.

End of year, and it's time to think about the 1st grade teacher. There were four teachers going to teach, each one of them an excellent teacher, but we also had our favorite. We asked her if she could take our daughter next year. She said she would be happy to, since she noticed our kid a while ago, and would enjoy having a smart girl in her class. But, she does not make the decision - it's based on the recommendation of the K-grade teacher.

Fine. We go talk to our K-grade teacher, and since we've been on such good terms she said she'll try to help us out. So we left it at that.

Fat forward to last Saturday. I'm about to go volunteer at the 'Back to School BBQ' when we get a letter in the mail with the teacher assignment. Well, we got royally fucked - not only it's not a teacher we asked for, it's a brand new teacher who just transferred to this school.

She's 25, graduated with a major in Bible and Theology, and was a pastor for three years in Rockwell, CA. Then she decided to go back to San Jose, and entered a teacher credential program in which she taught 5th grade for a year. That's all the teaching experience she has.

What. The. Fuck.

This morning she was helplessly trying to organize a class of kids and get them to at least sit in a circle while the other teachers already had their classes going on, and kids enjoying the school time.

We now have 2 weeks to try and appeal and get transferred. I honestly have no idea what to do.

 

[arcenite]

So my kid went to the first grade today. Public charter school.

Last school year my wife and I volunteered like mad for the school when our kid was in K grade. We made friends with the K grade teacher, and she was extremely nice to us. She considered our kid one of her best students.

End of year, and it's time to think about the 1st grade teacher. There were four teachers going to teach, each one of them an excellent teacher, but we also had our favorite. We asked her if she could take our daughter next year. She said she would be happy to, since she noticed our kid a while ago, and would enjoy having a smart girl in her class. But, she does not make the decision - it's based on the recommendation of the K-grade teacher.

Fine. We go talk to our K-grade teacher, and since we've been on such good terms she said she'll try to help us out. So we left it at that.

Fat forward to last Saturday. I'm about to go volunteer at the 'Back to School BBQ' when we get a letter in the mail with the teacher assignment. Well, we got royally fucked - not only it's not a teacher we asked for, it's a brand new teacher who just transferred to this school.

She's 25, graduated with a major in Bible and Theology, and was a pastor for three years in Rockwell, CA. Then she decided to go back to San Jose, and entered a teacher credential program in which she taught 5th grade for a year. That's all the teaching experience she has.

What. The. Fuck.

This morning she was helplessly trying to organize a class of kids and get them to at least sit in a circle while the other teachers already had their classes going on, and kids enjoying the school time.

We now have 2 weeks to try and appeal and get transferred. I honestly have no idea what to do.

How about not trying to micromanage your kids education. If you don't like it, pick a new school.

 

[highland145]

She could show you how to pray your kid out of her class.

 

[moshquerade]

Wow....

Yeh, those "brand new" teachers don't deserve a chance. Only she's not "brand new". She student taught so she could get credentialing and then she likely took a temp position for a fifth grade class for a year.
Those that hired her at your daughter's school must have not known what they were doing.

You should schedule an appointment to talk to this teacher before you yank your smart girl out of her class. : /

 

[MisterJackson]

Man, I just let a pack of chimps at the local zoo teach my child, and he excels at most subjects.

Seriously though, less helicopter, more "Give the new gal a chance". Who knows, she may be totally kick ass. If she left being a pastor to teach, odds are she has a passion for it.

 

[MotF Bane]

I know your kid is all of six or seven, but does she like her new teacher so far? If yes, don't worry about it. If not, then go ahead and appeal. It's only first grade, one inexperienced Bible-thumping teacher won't destroy her future, especially not with involved parents.

 

[paulney]

Wow....

She student taught so she could get credentialing and then she likely took a temp position for a fifth grade class for a year.

This makes no sense.

 

[gothamhunter]

Might want to find out what credentials she has that the school decided to hire her; teaching jobs are in a shortage right now and it would seem they could have hired someone else - maybe you're just being nitpicky because you didn't get the teacher you wanted.

How long has everyone else taught at that school? Obviously if they all have for years and years then they have it down-pat.

 

[RbSX]

So my kid went to the first grade today. Public charter school.

Last school year my wife and I volunteered like mad for the school when our kid was in K grade. We made friends with the K grade teacher, and she was extremely nice to us. She considered our kid one of her best students.

End of year, and it's time to think about the 1st grade teacher. There were four teachers going to teach, each one of them an excellent teacher, but we also had our favorite. We asked her if she could take our daughter next year. She said she would be happy to, since she noticed our kid a while ago, and would enjoy having a smart girl in her class. But, she does not make the decision - it's based on the recommendation of the K-grade teacher.

Fine. We go talk to our K-grade teacher, and since we've been on such good terms she said she'll try to help us out. So we left it at that.

Fat forward to last Saturday. I'm about to go volunteer at the 'Back to School BBQ' when we get a letter in the mail with the teacher assignment. Well, we got royally fucked - not only it's not a teacher we asked for, it's a brand new teacher who just transferred to this school.

She's 25, graduated with a major in Bible and Theology, and was a pastor for three years in Rockwell, CA. Then she decided to go back to San Jose, and entered a teacher credential program in which she taught 5th grade for a year. That's all the teaching experience she has.

What. The. Fuck.

This morning she was helplessly trying to organize a class of kids and get them to at least sit in a circle while the other teachers already had their classes going on, and kids enjoying the school time.

We now have 2 weeks to try and appeal and get transferred. I honestly have no idea what to do.

Deal with it and stop being a bitch. If you don't like the public school system, do what my parents did and take your kid out and put them in private school where you can excercise a little bit more leverage.

Welcome to the perils of the public school bureaucracy, don't like it? Get the hell out.

 

[YoungGun21]

I don't even remember what my first grade teacher was like, so you probably shouldn't care.

 

[slag]

I'm thinking this is a parody, albeit a long one. Its first grade. Your kid will finger paint, have recess, listen to someone reading a book, have lunch, recess, art, more reading, science, recess, and go home. Its not like its upper level calculus or economics.
_I_ could teach first grade and I don't know the first thing about being a teacher other than they are overpaid for the amount of time they actually work a year.

 

[rcpratt]

Holy overreaction, batman.

 

[paulney]

Might want to find out what credentials she has that the school decided to hire her; teaching jobs are in a shortage right now and it would seem they could have hired someone else - maybe you're just being nitpicky because you didn't get the teacher you wanted.

How long has everyone else taught at that school? Obviously if they all have for years and years then they have it down-pat.

Credentials are public info and can be looked up on CA DOE site. She has Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and that's it.

The other teachers have been teaching at the school for at least 5 years. New principal came in and reshuffled the teachers this year, though. I've heard from quite a few working at the school that they are not happy with the new leadership.

 

[gothamhunter]

I'm thinking this is a parody, albeit a long one. Its first grade. Your kid will finger paint, have recess, listen to someone reading a book, have lunch, recess, art, more reading, science, recess, and go home. Its not like its upper level calculus or economics.
_I_ could teach first grade and I don't know the first thing about being a teacher other than they are overpaid for the amount of time they actually work a year.

Then you obviously don't know anything about teachers (at least not competent ones).
Also for your reading pleasure:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2185449&highlight=

 

[moshquerade]

This makes no sense.

In order to be licensed as a teacher she had to student teach somewhere. That is a requirement. Then, after being licensed (credentialed) she took a year long temporary 5th grade teaching position. That is how it sounds to me.

 

[Texashiker]

So my kid went to the first grade today. Public charter school.
<snip>
We now have 2 weeks to try and appeal and get transferred. I honestly have no idea what to do.

Control freak much?

Do you also have anger issues? Maybe yell at the person behind the counter very often?

 

[highland145]

Pics of teacher, so we can make an informed determination if we give a crap.

 

[paulney]

I'm thinking this is a parody, albeit a long one. Its first grade. Your kid will finger paint, have recess, listen to someone reading a book, have lunch, recess, art, more reading, science, recess, and go home. Its not like its upper level calculus or economics.
_I_ could teach first grade and I don't know the first thing about being a teacher other than they are overpaid for the amount of time they actually work a year.

No, you couldn't. First grade is not about calculus or economics, it's about teaching kids to read and write, and to be willing to learn.It's a lot of work, and management, and creativity and structure.

If you make mistakes like 'there' vs 'their' in your official teacher's blog (not mentioning others), you may want to rethink your applicability for first grade.

 

[paulney]

Pics of teacher, so we can make an informed determination if we give a crap.

She's actually 7-8/10.

 

[paulney]

Control freak much?

Do you also have anger issues? Maybe yell at the person behind the counter very often?

Lol, the texas troll is here for the party.

 

[highland145]

If you make mistakes like 'there' vs 'their' in your official teacher's blog (not mentioning others), you may want to rethink your applicability for first grade.

I say, "Fat forward."

 

[RbSX]

In order to be licensed as a teacher she had to student teach somewhere. That is a requirement. Then, after being licensed (credentialed) she took a year long temporary 5th grade teaching position. That is how it sounds to me.

She sounds like someone who doesn't have any life skills for me, and in my opinion, having a background in religion automatically precludes her from any candidacy for being a teacher.

Having gone to public school, catholic school, and a non denominational private school... teachers with a religious background can't teach science. Not that this is important in the 1st grade, but.. they tend to have an agenda (even if it is subconconscious).

 

[RbSX]

Lol, the texas troll is here for the party.

Sounds like you're a troll that everyone hates to deal with, man I'd hate to deal with a control freak like you on a regular basis. I bet you're the customer at your regular coffee joint that all the people hate and mock when you leave.

 

[gothamhunter]

She sounds like someone who doesn't have any life skills for me, and in my opinion, having a background in religion automatically precludes her from any candidacy for being a teacher.

Having gone to public school, catholic school, and a non denominational private school... teachers with a religious background can't teach science. Not that this is important in the 1st grade, but.. they tend to have an agenda (even if it is subconconscious).

How old are you? Maybe 40 years ago, but science is a big part of cirriculum now; they even teach about evolution, although not from a human standpoint. Just because you believe in God doesn't meant you don't believe in tectonic shifts, dna, biology, geology, fossils, hatching of eggs, emergence of butterflies, etc..

Source: wife is a Catholic teacher.

 

[highland145]

How old are you? Maybe 40 years ago, but science is a big part of cirriculum now; they even teach about evolution, although not from a human standpoint. Just because you believe in God doesn't meant you don't believe in tectonic shifts, dna, biology, geology, fossils, hatching of eggs, emergence of butterflies, etc..

Source: wife is a Catholic teacher.

This.

Source:1st chapter of the boy's 5th grade science book at that Christian school.